MEL GIBSON: Mel Gibson returns to acting in new action flick - There have been a couple of cameos in recent years, but Gibson hasn’t starred in a film since “Signs” in 2002. “It was just time to act again,” he said. “If the tarnish is on it and the glow goes off it, you walk away for a while, and when it’s time to come back, you come back.” By Ed Symkus.

SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH: Travel: Family-friendly fun at Smugglers' Notch - Smugglers' Notch resort in Vermont offers skiing on three mountains and lots of other fun activities on and off the snow for all ages and abilities. By Nancy Olesin.

MEREDITH O'BRIEN: Doing it all means living with the imperfect -- Whenever I pick up a new book about work and moms, I mentally prep myself for a chastising lecture. Could journalist Mika Brzezinski's new book "All Things at Once," be any different? I was pleasantly surprised.

LORETTA LAROCHE: TV: Where losers become famous -- It fascinates me that there is no end to how media moguls choose to entertain the public with shows that feature individuals who are essentially losers. If it’s disgusting, derogatory or immoral, they will find a way to showcase it.

RICK HOLMES: What happened in the Senate race - It's hard to explain something like this to out-of-state folks steeped in the national media's stereotype of Massachusetts as lockstep liberals united in Kennedy adulation. It's impossible to explain in less than 140 characters, though people have been trying all week, especially for those who hope their abbreviated version of what happened will help them win the next battle.

EDITORIAL: New tools for better schools - While everyone was paying attention to the close of an exciting Senate campaign and the devastation in Haiti, something important happened to education in Massachusetts. By MetroWest.

WENDY J. MURPHY: Brown Senate victory a true sign of diversity - Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal, independent or libertarian - you gotta love it when democracy breaks the stranglehold of any form of monopolistic partisan politics, and democracy was the clear winner in the Massachusetts battle between Martha Coakley and Scott Brown for a U.S. Senate seat.

FINE PRINT: Make sure roof is snowstorm-ready after warm weather - With warmer temperatures expected to interrupt the typical chilly January weather, this is as good a time as any to make sure your building's roof is ready for the next big snowstorm. By The Patriot Ledger.

CHECKOUT LANE: Don’t let broken computer break your spirit - Sometimes people think that a repair can cost more than to actually replace the computer but often it is actually something simple to fix that is wrong with it. By Lana Lagomarsini.

- Localize it: Talk to a computer expert in your town to get quotes, info.

MASS. MARKET: Unions’ efforts fell short in U.S. Senate race - All the unions’ letters, signs and phone calls couldn’t overcome the GOP’s national political machine and a frustrated electorate. By Jon Chesto.

DAIRY STRUGGLES: Milking an opportunity: Local farmer's plan could be a blueprint to help save New England's struggling dairies - A Hingham dairy owner’s plan for a working farm in Norwell could be a blueprint for local dairy farms trying to survive. By Steve Adams.

GOP: Local Republicans say state is undergoing sea change - Charlie Baker and Christy Mihos, Republican candidates for governor, both said last night that a sea change has started in Massachusetts, spurred in part by Scott Brown's Senate win last week. By Kendall Hatch.

CAMPAIGN FINANCES: State legislators reveal campaign finances - Michael Rodrigues, the state representative from Fall River and Westport, spent nearly $14,000 last year in legal fees related to the ticket scalping bill he sponsored that played a role in House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi’s resignation. By Grant Welker.

- Localize it: Go to link included in the story and list your local legislators.

U.S. REP: Holliston lawyer to challenge McGovern for U.S. rep - Marty Lamb, a Holliston real estate attorney, is no politician. That's exactly the perspective he wants to take to Congress. By David Riley.

RILEY TRIAL: Psychiatrist describes early dealings with, giving drugs to Riley family - Dr. Kayoko Kifuji testified Monday under immunity in Carolyn Riley's murder trial about her extended history with the family of Rebecca Riley, the 4-year-old Hull girl who died of what authorities say was excess use of prescription drugs. By John P. Kelly.